Working on Paper

For the past few weeks I’ve been thinking a lot about an upcoming residency programming I will be doing in the States. Up until this time I have been working primarily on wood panels. I like this substrate because I’m able to sand, scrape and add all kinds of texture to the surface. Unfortunately it isn’t practical to use wood for the upcoming residency because I will need to bring all my completed work home on an airplane. Wood panels would be too cumbersome and heavy to pack in a suitcase so I’ve started to work on paper.

I’ve used a few different weights to see how well the paper responds and holds up. One is a 140 lb watercolor paper and the other 43 lb sketch paper. I did gesso both sides to help with warping. I’m happy to say that I’ve had some good results. So far I prefer the heavier watercolor paper, but it’s nice to have the option. I’ve had the idea of actually sewing into the paper at some point so the lighter weight may be more appropriate for this purpose.

Once the paper gets a few layers of paint, collage and acrylic medium on it, it becomes quite stable. If all goes well I can create the works on paper, get them home and possibly mount them on wooden panels when I return.